These all seem to be about struggling one way or another. In comparison the fours were quite chilled out...

Wands: Well, red haired woman with cross half naked and tied in a pentacle arrangement to the five wands in the ground. Pulling as she is may only serve to make her bonds tighter. She reminds me of when people left a maiden tied up in the forest as a sacrifice to a dragon or other monster... Is that snow on the ground under her? She has a black rose in her hair.

Pentacles: This is a twist on the RWS, the woman outside the stained glass window looks well dressed if cold, and she's staring at the warmly dressed man who is hurrying on through the snow. The pentacles are embedded in the window which looks Masonic rather than Christian to me. Perhaps someone could comment on the eye in the pyramid?

Swords: He's either just won or else he's waiting for another onslaught, hard to tell. Whatever is happening doesn't seem finished. I don't think it is the same man as the Wands? - different haircut anyway. He looks determined.

Cups: So who is the shadowy figure emerging/ retreating from the left of the card? The blonde seems sad and defeated, one (pentacle inscribed) cup is losing its contents but the others are upright. Four out of the five cups have pentacles. Is that a wall or a grave? Is the man in her head (he's dead) or living? I don't know... I also notice that the vines seem more shrivelled at the top of the wall/ mausoleum than at the base.

ETA: Also had a look at the Heirophant who in this context could be struggling with his faith?? Faith can be what people fall back on or come to when they are struggling as these Fives people are.

Five of Wands looks like she is naked from her waist down. I think she could easily free herself is she wanted to. The white stuff under her feet could also be stone or concrete? An Altar in the forest maybe?

The Five of Swords man also has the strange markings under his eyes. Maybe they are tribal tattoos or something like that? Many of the women have those,too, but I donīt think itīs just "runny mascara" like someone suggested earlier.

The 5 of Wands presents us with a woman whose legs and hands are entangled in ropes that are staked to the ground by 5 posts (representing the suit markers for the card). The ropes create the shape of an inverted pentacle which suggests focus on all that is material (and indeed the woman in the card casts her gaze downwards). The woman struggles against the ropes seeking to free herself, but her struggles appear to be making the situation worse. Looking carefully at how the ropes 'bind' the woman we can see that they are in fact simply looped around her legs. The card seems to imply that if she just stopped struggling for a moment she could easily free herself.

Based on my daily draws, I've expanded my understanding of the symbols in this card to include:

The Church: Not just a place of worship, but a place that offers comfort and security. This could be a geographic region or an 'establishment' like a work organization (this would tie into the interpretation of the Hierophant), or a group of people.

The Weather: Again, this could relate to a geographic location, or where you would consider as a 'safe-harbor' from the storm. This could also be considered in reverse (depending on surrounding cards) if you find yourself going into 'a storm'.

The Woman: Could be a group of people and not just a single person or issue. This could be what is abandoned or left behind. If it is a person, could relate to how they feel about the issue at hand.

The Man: The person doing the walking away, or the problem leaving or 'passing away'. For example, it could be said "Your troubles are leaving or behind you now".

The LWB: " Accept your errors and the forgiveness of those who love you and stop punishing yourself."

I'm very much drawn to this interpretation phrase, specifically I'm pulled to the 'act of forgiveness". When I pull this card, I think:

Who or what needs to be forgiven?
Is there something *you* need to forgive yourself for?
Is there someone who has asked for forgiveness but hasn't been granted it?
Is there someone/something in your life that is offering forgiveness that you're not accepting?
Will you not allow yourself to receive or accept forgiveness because it feels better to continue punishing yourself for it?

Swords: He's either just won or else he's waiting for another onslaught, hard to tell. Whatever is happening doesn't seem finished.

This was my card for today and it turned out this day had both a defeat (in a debate) and a victory (an exam passed) in store for me. And what Aerin says above is very true also in the sense that it is not finished. There will be another meeting/debate in two weeks and another exam as well within a year or so.

What I particularly like about this man is that he is very determined and believes in his cause. He probably doesnīt care about the result that much.

LWB: If you want victory you must choose the weapon best suited for the battle. Thousands of swords are useless, when one is enough. But it must be used wisely.

My questions might be:
Do you need to put your own interests first?
Whose fight are you fighting?
Do you recognize ill intentions?
Are you indulging in power plays?
Are you aware of your surroundings & belongings?

"When you are your own enemy, every action you take brings you closer to defeat- do not struggle furiously, but stop and breathe deeply."

I was involved in a developing situation where I perceived that there would be an upcoming complication. This was causing me much anxiety. However, whether the dilemma was actually likely to materialize, or else that it was simply a product of my mind, seemed to be the message of this card to me- whether I should heed the anxiety of my mind or not.

So I just realized after all this time (it's been almost 2 years I've spent with LL as my primary deck) that the 5 of Swords was pointing out my cat and her name.

Why? you might ask.... Her name is Grimmie... Grimm for short, and this fella sure does look Grim. She's my own personal version of Grumpy Cat. Extremely talkative, but in a mournful sort of way. How freak'n appropriate.

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